devoid
Americanadjective
verb (used with object)
adjective
Etymology
Origin of devoid
1350–1400; Middle English, originally past participle < Anglo-French, for Old French desvuidier to empty out, equivalent to des- dis- 1 + vuidier to empty, void
Explanation
You're stranded in the ocean, miles from shore, clinging to a sinking boat, and you can't swim? Sorry to say, your situation is devoid of all hope. When you fall off a cliff, you fall into the void. Void means "empty." Devoid means "empty of." Always answer the question "Of what?" when you use it: "My wallet is devoid of cash. My teacher is devoid of pity. My cookie jar is devoid of cookies." These examples are devoid of anything not totally depressing!
Vocabulary lists containing devoid
Essential Academic Vocabulary for High School Students, List 3
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ACT Vocabulary List
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"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 16–19
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Initially, the gathering of black people from across the globe was, he felt, "a beautiful, profound experience devoid of capitalist motives".
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
We live on the fourth floor of a walk-up that is typically devoid of insects.
From Slate ● Aug. 6, 2026
The 10 Freeway was magically devoid of traffic on this gray Saturday morning, and if my car had a soul, it would be like that of a racehorse.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
It's a radical makeover for a Soviet-style state completely devoid of advertising, where for over half a century the state dominated nearly every sphere of activity, from industry to agriculture to the restaurant trade.
From Barron's ● Jul. 3, 2026
Not all the Erudite are power hungry and devoid of conscience, like their leader, Jeanine Matthews.
From "Insurgent" by Veronica Roth
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
